Seniors at the J

While the J is home for all ages, the senior population of the Jewish community is particularly active at the J. Almost one out of every four program participants at the Fox building is 65 years old or older. At the Staenberg Family Complex, over one out of every three program participants is 65 and older. The actual numbers, however, are likely significantly higher, as these numbers only account for seniors who purchase a ticket to an event and/or scan in with their membership cards. These numbers do not even include programs where capturing attendance data is difficult like Sababa and Israel’s 75th celebration!

As the general St. Louis Jewish population ages, we anticipate that these numbers will continue to grow and thus we must prepare accordingly for the seniors of tomorrow. In the most recent community study, the Jewish community in St. Louis is growing, aging and planning to stay in the area. 18% of all people in Jewish households in St. Louis were 65 or older eight years ago, and 22% of those in all-Jewish households are 65 and older. Also, nearly a third of Jews live in Chesterfield and St. Charles. Thus, the J, the Town Square of the Jewish community, must continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of our community and expand our mission and programming through the renovation of the Fox building.

Currently, seniors at the J participate in a variety of programs and activities with some like Adult Day at the J and our Meals on Wheels Program, designed specifically for the senior in need. However, Jewish seniors in our community participate in many other J programs such as our Fitness & Wellness and our signature Cultural Arts programs. These offerings play a major role in the social and emotional health and vitality of older Jewish adults in our community. Additionally, in the days prior to the pandemic the Marilyn Fox Building was a natural meeting and gathering place for West County seniors through our partnership with St. Louis Oasis. We hope to bring this partnership back to offer even more programming for seniors at the J.

One thing is clear: The J’s transformation of the Marilyn Fox Building will contribute to a healthy, thriving Jewish senior population and ultimately empower the J to further its mission and impact, creating a larger, more robust place for Jews in this community to come together and call home for generations to come.